“You do need my help,” Arrick continued. “And my protection. Any trouble we run into will be swiftly taken care of. King’s guards or not.”
“So confident,” I murmured. “But my answer is still no. We don’t need nor do we want your help. Thank you for your forced and unwanted hospitality. But tomorrow we shall be on our way. Without you.”
He lifted that one arrogant brow again and I knew it was to call me out for my brazen argument with the small, unspoken caveat that we would be staying here tonight.
“Fine,” he grunted. “Then I suppose we’ll have to barter for it.”
“Barter?” I laughed. “But you have nothing I want.”
That was not quite true. He had weapons and food and horses, after all. But I didn’t trust him.
I had just decided that I won the argument when Arrick stuck his hand into his pocket, retrieving my necklace. I had almost forgotten about it with the excitement of the day.
He dangled it in front of me until I made the mistake of reaching for it. He pulled it back before I could get close.
I should have known better. But the temptation had been too great.
“This is a rather interesting pendant, isn’t it?” He held it close to his face, examining the glittering gemstones. “What do the colors stand for?”
I looked longingly at the sapphire blue and sparkling diamond in his palm. The Soravale and Elysian crest colors. “Death,” I lied. “They are a talisman to Denamon.”
“Oh, yes, the cursed item readying to strike my manhood?” he asked with an even voice.
“I wouldn’t sit down for a while if I were you.”
His answering smile was brighter than any lantern in the tree house. “Manhood or no, you’ll not get your necklace until you agree to let us accompany you to Elysia.”
I ground my teeth.
“No.”
“I’ll give you the night to think about it.” He stepped back, into the shadows that lurked near the door.
I opened my mouth to argue more, but he had already disappeared into the night. I listened to his footsteps tromp across the nearby rope bridge, leading him to a different part of his elevated camp. The rope creaked and groaned beneath his weight and the night breeze rustled the leaves overhead, igniting the air with a cacophony of curiously comforting sounds.
I blinked as sleep seemed to hold my eyelids prisoner. “What do you think?” I whispered to Oliver.
He curled onto his side and poked at the fire with a kindling rod. “I think we’ve either been saved or damned. I just haven’t figured out which yet.”
“Damned,” I told him. “Obviously.”
He sighed, tucking his hands beneath his cheek and closing his eyes. “I don’t know, Tessana. I don’t feel damned. But ask me again in the morning.”
I quieted, letting my mind absorb this strange turn of events while Oliver’s snores filled the quiet room. I meant to stay awake and keep an eye out.
Arrick had seemed peaceful enough. Even if he was lying about why he wanted to accompany us, I still didn’t believe he meant us physical harm.
So that must have been why my eyes closed so easily and my mind stopped spinning.
That must have been why sleep chased me so successfully and why I had absolutely no trouble drifting away.
All the while wondering if this was damnation.
Or if Arrick could be salvation.
9
“Tessana!”
I jolted awake, curling my fists into claws.
“It’s me!” Oliver rushed to assure me. “Just me.”
I struggled to catch my breath, panting as memories of the previous day infiltrated my sleepy fog.
My heart pounded, running a race it would never win.
Oliver’s face came into focus and I reached out to smooth the worried lines across his forehead. “I’m okay,” I told him.
His voice was raspy with sleep, “Can you remember anything?”
I shook my head and rubbed at bleary eyes. “Nothing. Nothing but birds and blood and…” There was something there, just at the cusp of my mind. I closed my eyes and tried to reach for it, hold onto it. It disappeared, like smoke sucked up a chimney. “Nothing. Birds and blood. That’s all.”
“Birds.” Oliver sat back on his heels. “That is one of your stranger fears, princess.”
I smiled before shushing him. “I never said I was afraid of birds! At least not while I’m awake.”
We were silent for a long moment, thinking on the odd nightmares that had followed me since the night I escaped Elysia. My mind drifted with memories of the past and present and the last lucid dream I had before I left the monastery for good.
Oliver and I realized that we had awoken before anyone else and that we were alone. No guards. No meddling Arrick. No one to stop us from leaving.
I jumped up and shoved my feet into my boots. I laced them with slow fingers, frustrated that my body hadn’t spurred awake like my mind.
Oliver crawled over to his bed kit and started shoving what little possessions he had back into his pack. My hair had come out of its braid, falling wildly around my shoulders, but I would fix that later. I deposited Shiksa into the pack I slung across my body against her whimper of protest. Choosing to ignore the irate kitling for now, I flung my cloak around my shoulders, clasping it with careless haste.
I shared one last glance with Oliver and we moved silently for the door. I pulled my hood over my tangled hair and hoped to blend in with the still thick darkness. I would have to leave my necklace behind. And I hated that. I determined to hunt it down once I had an army at my disposal. Maybe with the strength of the Elysian royal forces behind me, Arrick would be more reasonable.
At least I still had the Crown of Nine.
We left the warmth of our quiet loft behind us and stepped onto the balcony that looked out over the intricate community Arrick had built for his rebel army. Trees as broad
